How Proper Abacus Training Can Make Your Kid Mathematically Intelligent?
We all know the importance of mathematics in our life.Be it’s a doctor, engineer, a businessman,housewife,rickshaw puller or any person in this universe it’s really difficult to live life without knowledge of mathematics.Even illiterate know Mathematics so that they can deal with money.
We start imparting knowledge of mathematics to our kids from childhood. Even parents who are not strong in mathematics,also want to make their kid strong in mathematics.
Now the question comes when kids should start learning Abacus. Any kid who knows the recognition and writing of numbers 1 to 100 can start learning abacus.
Generally at the age of 5 years a kid acquires 1 to 100 counting recognition & writing. I’ve even seen kids who started learning abacus even earlier at the age of 4 years 2 months also.
What is Abacus:
Abacus is a calculating device which consists of a frame with rods on which beads are moved to represent the numbers.
Beads are moved in a specific pattern on the roads to perform arithmetic operations like addition,subtraction,multiplication,division,percentage even square,cube,square root or cube root.Decimal and fraction operations can also be performed on abacus.
An Abacus trained person can do arithmetical calculations faster than an untrained person. But the challenge is how to carry an abacus device every time whenever calculations are required.
By proper training kids are trained to develop an imaginary abacus which they are using for mental calculations even without a physical abacus device or without any pen or paper.Seems Interesting? This is called Abacus based mental calculation or visualization which is many times faster than traditional calculations.
Before you read further more about abacus, let me allow you to understand about the functioning of our brain.
Brain Pic
Mainly there are 2 parts of the brain: the left side known as left brain and right side is known as right brain.
As far as the right brain is concerned it controls creativity, concentration, imagination, picture memory,visualization while the left brain deals with logical aspects and mathematical calculations.
These both sides of the brain are cross linked to the body side. The right brain is connected to the left side of the body and the left brain is connected to the right side of the body.
As human beings we aggressively use either the right side of the body or left side of the body and most of us are generally right handed in nature or using the right side of the body very aggressively that means our left brain is getting more activated or more involved.
Similarly in the case of a left handed person their right brain is more activated or more actively involved than that of the left brain.
Many times we limit our kids not to use their specific hand. Most of the time when a kid starts using the left hand we stop not to use the left hand and promote the use of the right hand instead of left hand. I recommend you not to stop the kid from using left hand but rather we should promote the use of the right hand also, which will ensure the activation and involvement of both sides of the brain.
Now coming back to the abacus, how proper abacus training can make use of both sides of the brain (just remember I am emphasizing the word PROPER abacus training) to have better output.
At Aryabhata Abacus & Vedic Maths Academy we take care that our kids should use their both hands so that their both sides of the brain can be involved.The kid who is right handed, is trained to operate abacus by left hand and kid who is left handed is trained to operate abacus by right hand.Since kids start using both hands now both brain involvement happens which produces better result.
There is another pragmatic reason why we promote different non-working hands of a kid. Suppose a kid who is right handed,holds the pencil with right hand, once kid is trained on visualization or abacus based mental calculation kid uses left hand for doing abacus based mental calculations and writing the answers of calculations with right hand which helps in maintaining the speed of calculation without disturbing the writing speed.
Similarly a kid who is left handed,holds the pencil with left hand, when kid performs visualization or abacus based mental calculation, the kid uses right hand for doing abacus based mental calculations and writing the answers of calculations with left hand which helps in maintaining the speed of calculation without disturbing the writing speed.
Thus by ensuring the use of both hands, the abacus can involve utilization of both sides of the brain which boost a kid’s creativity & concentration.
How Abacus develops picture memory or visualization skills:
The real outcome of an abacus is when a kid is able to do calculation without the availability of a physical abacus device as an abacus device is not available everywhere. If a kid is not able to do calculations without an abacus,then learning abacus is of no use. At Aryabhata Abacus & Vedic Maths Academy, we train the kids from day one on visualization where your kid is trained on creating imaginary abacus and beads and doing the arithmetical calculations. When a kid learns to create imaginary abacus and beads, picture memory gets stronger. That helps in developing visualization skills or picture memory.Visualization skills or strong picture memory can also be used in other subjects by some advanced training.
Improvement in concentration:
When a kid learns calculation by imagination (imaginary beads) without physical abacus, Can you expect the kid to give correct answers without proper concentration level? Definitely No.
Once a kid does visualization it involves improvement in the concentration level of the kid along with development of strong picture memory.
Strong concentration level is going to help the kid not only in mathematical calculations but improve the efficacy of whatever kid learns.
Improvement in listening skills:
The learning outcome majorly depends on active listening. If a kid is not listening properly we can’t expect a kid to have a better understanding of the topic irrespective of IQ level.Means Active listening is a prerequisite of better understaning.
Major challenge is how to improve the listening skills of the kid. Many times at School PTMs we come to know such situations where it is being told to parents that their kid is very intelligent but doesn’t pay attention to listening. At Aryabhata Abacus & Vedic Maths Academy we ensure that in each & every class,each kid is tested on questions. Once the answer given by the kid is not correct, we ask further questions on abacus to check whether the answer was wrong because of listening issues or conceptual issues. Once we identify that there is a challenge with listening, kids are being sensitized to listening that leads to improvement in listening skills.
Improvement in creative intelligence:
When a kid performs visualization( imagination of abacus beads), there is involvement of the right brain which leads to enhanced activity of the right brain. Because of visualization there is improvement in the creativity, Imagination,concentration which are governed by right brain activity.
But remember it will only happen when the kid does calculations on visualization not on physical abacus.
Development of fast numerical aptitude:
With regular practice kid is able to create image of beads and can solve the mathematical addition,subtraction,multiplication,division,percentage even square,cube,square root or cube root.Decimal and fraction operations.Once kid does the visualization, the text numbers are now processed in the form of images which leads to faster processing and enhanced speed of calculations.
Development of confidence:
You must have noticed when a kid gets recognition, praise there is an enhanced level of confidence reflected on the face of the kid. Have you ever thought about why it happens? It happens because of secretion of hormone dopamine which is secreted once kids get praise, appreciation, recognition.
At Aryabhata Abacus & Vedic Maths Academy, with its unique system of rigorous follow up, we make sure that parents are involved in the abacus activity of only 5 minutes per day.With regular practice once kid shows improvement in calculation, kid get praise from parent on daily basis that boosts the confidence of kid.
Moreover in every class there is a proven system of proper recognition when a kid delivers the correct answers. It boosts the confidence of kids and develops motivation to perform even better.
Thus an abacus is not going to improve only the mathematical skills of the kid but it’s a whole brain development concept where you can witness improvement in all right brain working that leads to improvement in creativity, concentration,visualization, picture memory and focus in the kid.